You guys have seen the Starbucks normal store inside the city. But did you know that the globally loved coffee chain has its own roastery?
Inside the Starbucks Roastery, the loge restaurant features a cocktail bar and gift shop, as well as a coffee roaster for processing coffee beans. If you guys are going to the local coffee shop, leave it and I suggest you visit that Starbucks Roastery.
About the Starbucks Roastery:
There are six Starbucks Reserve Roastery locations worldwide, including New York, Chicago, Shanghai, Milan, and Tokyo. The Seattle Roastery, the first of its kind, opened in Capitol Hill in December 2014. The Starbucks Reserve concept was created in 2010 to compete with high-end coffee retailers and eventually led to the development of these specialty roasteries.
The roasteries are like a “Theme park” for coffee lovers. They offer coffee and cocktail tastings, gift shops, and the chance to see coffee beans being roasted, processed, and shipped. I call it “Coffee Disneyland.” There are several locations worldwide, including the biggest one in Chicago, which I especially want to visit.
Why visit the Seattle Starbucks Roastery?
It’s bigger than a regular Starbucks store.
According to Business Insider, a typical Starbucks store is about 1,800 square feet. The Seattle Roastery, though the smallest of the roasteries at 15,000 square feet, is packed with food and drink options, tastings, unique experiences, and a blend of industrial and rustic design. There’s also a staircase leading to a mezzanine, which serves as a mini library with books about coffee, offering a great view of the whole space.
Unique Food and Drinks You Won't Find at Regular Starbucks Stores
You can still order your usual Starbucks favorites, but why not try something unique like the Irish con Crema? This drink is a pour-over coffee with cold foam, made from special Reserve™ whiskey-barrel beans from Guatemala, only available at the Roastery. It’s topped with Irish Cream cold foam, adding a sweet touch to the coffee’s earthy flavor. Don’t confuse it with the Irish Cream Cold Brew found in regular stores.
Best and Unique Coffee in Reserve Roastery
Irish con Crema
- Pour-over coffee made with Reserve™ whiskey-barrel beans from Guatemala, topped with Irish Cream cold foam.
Affogato
- Two shots of espresso poured over creamy ice cream.
Cold Brew Float
- Cold brew coffee served with a scoop of ice cream.
Cold Brew Malt
- Cold brew coffee combined with a sweet malt, a hit for kids and those preferring a sweeter treat.
Just two words: Arriviamo Bar
I’m a big fan of cocktails, especially those with a coffee twist. You know those spiked sweet coffees you sometimes find on dessert menus? I love pairing one with a dessert that Cecilio and I share. And an espresso martini? I wouldn’t leave the roastery without one.
But don’t stop at the espresso martini—there’s a range of other enticing options like cold brew spiced rum, Brandy Corretto, and whiskey cloud, among others.
If coffee cocktails aren’t your style, I’ve heard great things about the Aperol Spritz. You can also enjoy classic choices like an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, or even some beer and wine.
Savor Delightful Dishes at Princi Bar
A normal Starbucks has old pastries and sandwiches, but the Princey Bar offers fresh food. There you will also find familiar items such as pizza, pasta, and desserts that are made and served in high-quality Princi ovens. It was able to survive in the market before it closed down last year, but now the delectable dishes are only available in the empty reserve roster.
Scoop Your Own Beans at the Self-Serve Bar
While you can buy coffee beans in a sealed bag, there’s also a scooping bar (or “coffee buffet”) where you can pick any flavor of coffee beans to take home.
The real treat here is watching the entire roasting process. You can see the green coffee beans stored in the silo, observe the roasting process, and then watch the beans being de-gassed in the copper cask.
You can book a 30-minute tour for $15 per person (with a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 26 guests) to learn about the roasting process (Seattle Roastery Revealed) or to taste some coffee (Starbucks Coffee Master Training). For $25, you can go on the Roastery Experience Tour, which includes both a guided tour and a tasting.
During the Master Training, you can also add a chocolate or pastry pairing for $4.50.
Discover New Flavors and Learn About Coffee at the Experience Bar
The Experience Bar is a special area where baristas let you taste different types of coffee brewed using methods like Chemex, siphon pot, Clover Brewing System, French press, and pour-over machines. When we visited, the Experience Bar was not open.
I’ve had similar coffee tasting sessions before in college classes, where baristas at local coffee shops served us samples made with these same brewing tools.
FAQs:
- How many Starbucks Reserve Roastery are there in the world?
Ans : Six new Starbucks Roastery-inspired Microblends—limited-edition, premium coffees exclusive to each of the six Starbucks Reserve Roasteries across the world—have been developed over the course of a year and a half as a consequence of that conversation. These roasteries are located in Chicago, Milan, New York City, Seattle, Shanghai, and Tokyo.
2. Where are the 6 Starbucks Reserve roasteries?
Ans : As of right now, the company runs six roasteries: Shanghai (2017), Milan (2018), New York City (2018), Tokyo (2019), Chicago (2019), and Seattle (launched in 2014).
3. What is the difference between Starbucks and Starbucks Reserve Roastery?
Ans : When it comes to coffee, Starbucks Reserve locations provide a more upscale and immersive experience than standard Starbucks locations. Rare, small-batch coffees, unique brewing techniques, and baristas with more experience are usually featured. There can be exclusive, artisanal items on the menu.
4. Is Starbucks India owned by Tata?
Ans : With a 50/50 joint venture with Tata Consumer Products Limited, Starbucks entered the Indian market in October 2012 and now has over 390 locations in 54 cities, including Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, and Surat….
5. What country is Starbucks most popular?
Ans : As of October 2022, China and the United States topped the list of nations having the most Starbucks locations worldwide.